>> i think it was a great night for mitt romney. i think the doom and gloom that's been hanging over the romney campaign, republicans in general has lifted tonight. i think that the democratic advance which began literally a month ago when clint eastwood walked out on stage ended tonight. i think the race is going to tighten. i think mitt romney was in command of this from the beginning. i'm not sure that he lost an exchange during the entire debate. a startling performance in my view and just the context of how good mitt romney was tonight. >> i thought that in terms of individual exchanges i think what may have been most notable, there wasn't i think a single direct attack against mitt romney from president obama. however, they substantively dealt with policy matters. >> he was looking down tonight. he was passive. he was abstract in his answers. mitt romney was talking about real people, giving real examples. i thought he was clear. he was concise. i think the president was muddled tonight. i just wonder, we talked about this ear